Report of the Committee on South West Africa

XI. RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED ON THE REPORTS OF THE FOURTH COMMITTEE
1054. Report of the Committee on South West Africa

The General Assembly, Having considered the third report and observation submitted to it, in accordance with its resolutions 749 A (VIII) of 28 November 1953 and 941 (X) of 3 December 1955, by the Committee on South West Africa concerning conditions in the Territory of South West Africa,[1]

1. Expresses its appreciation of the work of the Committee on South West Africa;

2. Approves the report of the Committee concerning conditions in the Territory of South West Africa;

3. Notes with concern that, for the third year in succession, the Committee has been unable to escape the conclusion that conditions in the Territory are for the most part, and particularly for the "Native" majority, still far from meeting in a reasonable way the standards implicit in the purposes of the Mandates System;

4. Approves and endorses accordingly, and without prejudice to the solution of the broader issues raised by the Committee concerning the situation in the Territory, all the conclusions and recommendations of the Committee as to the action which should be taken by the Government of the Union of South Africa as the Mandatory Power, and in particular draws the attention of the Government of the Union of South Africa to those recommendations in respect of:

(a) The progressive transfer of responsibility to representative, executive and legislative institutions proper to the Territory;

(b) The revision of existing policies and practices of "Native" administration in accordance with the spirit of the Mandates System;

(c) The extension to all the inhabitants of representation in the existing territorial legislature;

(d) The basing of public employment on qualifications other than race and the progressive training of non-Europeans for higher posts in the Administration;

(e) The review and revision of the land settlement policy;

(f) The discontinuance of residential restrictions based on a policy of racial separation, or apartheid, and the repeal of laws of the Territory having racially discriminatory restrictions;

(g) The immediate elimination from the law and practice of the Territory of the existing discriminatory restrictions upon freedom of movement;

(h) The elimination of racial discrimination from the educational System and the establishment of a programme for the progressive unification of the system;

5. Invites the Government of the Union of South Africa to submit to the United Nations information concerning its consideration of these conclusions and recommendations and the action taken by it in each case in order to ensure the fulfilment of its obligations and responsibilities under the Mandate.

661st plenary meeting,
26 February 1957.

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[1]1 Ibid., Eleventh Session, Supplement No. 12 (A/3151 and Corr.1), annex II